This invention relates to sunshades for vehicle windows.
For a number of years, sunshades have been used in vehicle windows to prevent overheating and sunburn of passengers, particularly small children and infants in the vehicle. Sunshades may also reduce glare experienced by the driver and passengers, and reduce damage to the interior of the vehicle.
Many vehicle sunshades are adhered to the inner surface of the window, e.g., using suction cups. Some sunshades are of a roll-up construction, similar to roller blinds used in home windows. Other sunshades are of a spring loop construction, having a loop frame member that springs open to full size in use, but requires a sequence of motions not particularly intuitive to many users to collapse the shade for storage. Users often desire to remove the sunshade at certain times, e.g., for use in another vehicle, or for storage when not in use, and some would prefer a shade to be readily collapsible to an easily storable size and shape.
The present invention features vehicle sunshades that can be rectilinearly folded to a short length, then rolled and secured, allowing the sunshade to be easily transported, e.g., in a user""s handbag, and conveniently stored. When the sunshade is to be used, it""s frame members resiliently spring into an open, extended position, ready to be secured in the vehicle window to block some sunlight.
In one aspect, the invention features a sunshade for a vehicle window, including: (a) a shade having upper and lower edges; and (b) a pair of support members having free ends, one of the members being associated with each of the upper and lower edges, the support members being constructed to be spaced apart to support the shade in an extended, open position during use; each of the support members comprising a self-straightening tape that is arcuate in cross-section and can be repeatedly folded without significant plastic deformation.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The upper and lower edges each include a hem and the support members are retained in the hems. The hem of the upper edge is segmented, the sunshade further comprising fastening means secured to the support member of the upper edge and positioned between segments of the upper edge hem. The sunshade also includes, mounted on the upper support member, a plurality of suction cups to secure the sunshade to the window. Bases of the suction cups are arranged to not overlap along the length of the folded tape when the tape is folded into equal thirds. Each of the suction cups includes a bore through which the support members extend. Each of the support members comprises a length of convex rule material. The support members are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of steel, fiberglass and plastic. The support members are coated with plastic or epoxy. The arcuate cross-section has a radius of curvature of from about 15 to 25 millimeters. The sunshade further includes a plurality of straps, extending from the lower edge constructed and arranged to secure the sunshade in a rolled configuration. Each strap includes an array of hook-engageable fibers and an array of hooks positioned to selectively engage the fibers when the sunshade is in a rolled configuration and the strap is wrapped around the rolled shade. The straps each carry a tab at a free end thereof, the tab of a size and shape selected to enable the tab to be wedged behind a back seat of a vehicle to secure the lower edge of the shade. The supporting members are constructed to allow the shade to be folded in thirds for storage, and to resiliently return the shade to its open position for use. The shade comprises a length of fabric, e.g., a mesh material.
In another aspect, the invention features a method of collapsing a reusable vehicular sunshade for storage between uses, including (a) folding both upper and lower edge support members of the sunshade at multiple points to place the sunshade in a flat, folded condition having a width significantly less than that of the sunshade in its unfolded state; (b) rolling the folded sunshade about its upper edge support member to form a roll with the lower edge member of the sunshade disposed along an outer surface of the roll; and then (c) wrapping a releasable strap about the rolled sunshade to retain it in its folded and rolled condition.
In yet a further aspect, the invention features a method of blocking sunlight within a vehicle, including (a) providing a sunshade as described above; (b) attaching the upper edge of the sunshade to the vehicle near an upper edge of a window of the vehicle; and (c) attaching the lower edge of the sunshade to the vehicle at a point spaced apart from and lower than the upper edge of the sunshade, to extend the shade across a significant portion of the window to block at least some sunlight entering the window.
The invention also features a method of blocking sunlight within a vehicle that includes: (a) providing a shade of flexible sheet material having an opacity that increases with an angle of incidence with respect to a direction normal to the sheet material, the shade having upper and lower edges and a self-straightening support member extending along its upper edge; (b) securing the upper edge of the shade to the vehicle along an upper portion of an inclined rear window of the vehicle, at a point above a forward edge of a rear deck of the vehicle spanning a horizontal space between a base edge of the rear window and an upper rear seat back of the vehicle; and (c) securing the lower edge of the shade to the vehicle at a point forward of the rear deck, such that fore-aft inclination of the shade in its secured position is significantly less than that of the window, such that the opacity of the shade relative to light entering the vehicle generally normal to the inclined rear window is substantially greater than the opacity of the shade relative to a line of sight extending generally horizontally through the rear window.
In preferred implementations, the lower edge of the shade is secured to the vehicle by wedging a free end of a strap, extending from the lower edge of the shade, between the rear deck and the upper rear seat back.
The term xe2x80x9cself-straightening tapexe2x80x9d, as used herein, refers to an elongated material that normally tends to a straight, extended position, that can be readily folded or coiled and that, when released from the folded position, will resiliently return to its normal, extended position.
The phrase xe2x80x9cconvex rule materialxe2x80x9d, as used here, refers to an elongated tape that would be suitable for use as the tape of a retractable tape measure, i.e., a self-straightening elongated tape having a curved transverse form defining a valley extending in the longitudinal direction, the cross-section being curved so as to resist bending about its neutral axis.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.